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The Latest: Senate candidate won’t rule out different race

State Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, is greeted by his wife, Jill McDaniel, prior to announcing his candidacy to the U.S. Senate, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018 in Ellisville, Miss. McDaniel tried unsuccessfully to unseat U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., in 2014. He will now challenge current Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) State Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, is greeted by his wife, Jill McDaniel, prior to announcing his candidacy to the U.S. Senate, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018 in Ellisville, Miss. McDaniel tried unsuccessfully to unseat U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., in 2014. He will now challenge current Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

By Associated Press February 28, 2018 3 min read

ELLISVILLE, Miss. (AP) – The Latest on a GOP primary challenge to US Sen. Roger Wicker in Mississippi (all times local):

2:40 p.m.

A state lawmaker says he will try to unseat one of Mississippi’s U.S. senators in the Republican primary – but he says he might also drop out of the race if the state’s other Senate seat comes open sometime soon.

Chris McDaniel announced Wednesday that he will challenge Sen. Roger Wicker in the June 5 primary.

McDaniel lost a bitter Republican primary runoff in 2014 to the state’s senior U.S. senator, Thad Cochran. Speculation persists about whether Cochran, who is now 80, might retire because he has been in frail health. If that were to happen, the Republican governor would appoint someone to fill Cochran’s seat temporarily, and a special election would be held to fill the rest of the term, which ends in January 2021. Cochran’s staff has said he intends to remain in office.